My first 240z

Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
Well, finally the day came for me to collect the 918 from the specialist who had been doing all the re-commissioning work. All the grief of sourcing and obtaining suitable replacement parts seemed all worth it when seeing the Z in the flesh.

Most of the hardwork you will not see as pretty much all the serviceable items, rubbers, gaskets, fuel pumps (both mech and electric) ball joints and bearings all replaced underneath.

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One worthy addition to the car has been the fitting of uprated front roll bar and in particular fitment of a rear bar. I have now learnt that the US cars had a smaller roll bar up front and were omitted on the rear. Not sure why really. However, my car already had the brackets connected to the body for the rear bar. Can only assume this is how it left the factory, so I did away with the fitting kit. Had to make brackets to secure them in though. Have seen some rear bar kits that are connected to the rear suspension subframe, but what I have now seems pretty much factory stock.

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Fronts were a lot more straightforward!

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Quick spirited test drive, does show the cornering well planted and having plenty of feedback. A worthwhile upgrade for sure, thanks Mr F. :cheers:


Lots of thumbs up from fellow motorists when travelling back up the M1 with the 918 on trailer :thumbs::thumbs: certainly turned heads :D

One of the first jobs at home, was to delete the bumper bars, and the fitment of a fire extinguisher in the cabin. I am just amazed how many classic car owners don't bother with fire safety.

Bumper bars coming off, front and rears

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Nice to have the Z on the drive, and the 918 original paint (mostly) looks great in the sunshine

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However :eek: with the spirited test drive upon collection, turns out that the head gasket is now well and truly blown. Well I suppose it was to be expected, as any weakness will show through after so many years being dormant. Hopefully that is an easy job, and head is coming off this week and will be able to see if there are any cracks. Seem to be getting quite a volume of gases in the water coolant very quickly. Thankfully no water in the oil sump, phew :unsure:
 
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SacCyclone

Club Member
Be sure to check the timing chain and plastic tension guides while you have it apart so no need to open her back up again later.

Beautiful Zed:thumbs:
 

uk66fastback

Club Member
Beautiful. I've just done the balljoint, TRE and brake hose repairs to mine. The brake fluid looked like real ale.

Not sure what I have re rear ARB brackets, probably not them either - as mine's a 72. My front one is just the stock one. I'm not that bothered about making it handle more like a modern car as so many want to - I'd rather it roll a bit - like they did back then!

I am sure someone will buy those bumper guards from you if you wanted to sell ...
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
The car is looking great Tony, keep up the good work :thumbs:

I hope for your sake the engine hasn't got anything serious wrong with it.
 

Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
With Photobucket as my chosen site to host pictures having completely lost the plot, wanting to charge punters for the privilege (and without no notice) I have updated the thread with new links so that folks can see the pics which I think will be a useful reference for members, that's if they need to see them, in future.

Anyway, rant over.

The head has come off and my mechanic doing the job has confirmed that the original gasket has indeed blown around No6 cylinder/chamber.

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Head now back from being checked for cracks and all is well. Standard work includes valve seats cut, and new stem oil seals fitted. Head water chamber had to be throughly cleaned out (block also) as quite a bit of sediment had built up. I can only assume lack of use, and I am assuming that this hasn't helped with the cause for the blown gasket.

Some pics of the head before it went off..

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Bottom half of the engine seems to be fine, with no scoring or damage in the bores. My mechanic suggested dropping sump to change piston rings whilst we have come this far. But decided against doing so, with a view of perhaps a full proper engine rebuild into the future.

With a supposedly 80k off miles on the clock, no reason why that isn't original I think the engine has bit more life before a build.

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Well the home made wooden tool (advise from another thread) certainly did the trick, and timing chain and plastic tension guides will be checked over before final assembly and build.

With a bit of luck, that'll be about it and when I am home from my annual family vacation I will have the Z for one weekend, to get everything I need for my first Euro trip to the Oldtimer Grand-Prix Classic at the Nurburgring in Germany. 11th - 13th August.

http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/events-tickets/oldtimer/avd-oldtimer-grand-prix.html

Anybody else going? Of course, will NOT be going on the Nordschleife.

Before I forget, a thanks to Mike at MJP for sending out a full head gasket set at short notice, and in uber quick time :thumbs:
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Good to hear its all been sorted with no horror stories Tony, I look forward to seeing more :D
 

Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
Great work Boba!

Ta very much, think I would have struggled without the depth and wealth of knowledge available from this very friendly forum :D

What pistons are they?

Not quite sure, the car is an American February 1973 example, so a I assume they are factory stock?

Nice work Tony.

Some video of the "Ring" while your there???

Thanks Mike, and oh no - not doing the Nordschleife of the GP circuit (this time), just going as a spectator. I need a truly sorted Z with the right roadholding setup to consider any serious track time.

Good to hear its all been sorted with no horror stories Tony, I look forward to seeing more :D

Thanks Mark, & one job I will be doing this weekend before I go is to run a separate braided wire from bonnet latch to underneath secured so I can 'pop' the bonnet open whilst abroad!! Just incase the bonnet cable breaks on me!:eek:
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Thanks Mark, & one job I will be doing this weekend before I go is to run a separate braided wire from bonnet latch to underneath secured so I can 'pop' the bonnet open whilst abroad!! Just incase the bonnet cable breaks on me!:eek:

Lol lets hope you don't need it, albeit if my experience has prevented someone from having the same issue then that's not all bad.

How was Germany?
 

Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
All quiet on the Z front, as busy with a recent trip in a classic visiting the Spa 6hrs meet in Belgium. That's a great meet. I recall going there a few years ago for the May Classic, and am sure there was a great Nismo factory presence and Datsun Z club meet before I saw the true light and actually got myself a Z :)

Whilst away, Father Christmas kindly paid a visit, and looking forward to fitting these 4 pots and Nabco 15/16 bore master cylinder to push more volume of brake fluid. Only going to be a road car and will remain so, and feel that this will be a worthwhile upgrade for my driving style.


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Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
Link please, if it does.

These came highly recommended, Edan the owner of the business certainly knows his onions. Fast shipment to the UK also :thumbs:

http://www.silverminemotors.com/datsun/datsun-240z/brake-upgrades


I was at that Spa classic with the big Nismo stand next to us in the zeds.

Probably saw you on the track, we had some great laps on the Saturday - proper full on experience for sure, chasing a 458 Italia through Eau Rouge :eek:

Hopefully there will be another opportunity for a Spa meet in the Z before long.



....2013 !

That was us lot in the Sunbeam Tigers, behind you.:p Great event where clubs have the time to get tracktime, though in comparison the September 6hrs has a huge number of races over the whole weekend.

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Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
How was Germany?

Mark, we didn't end up taking the Z to the Oldtimer GrandPrix at the Nurburgring in August, the weather forecast was simply unseasonably atrocious so we ended up in a modern, albeit considered a classic now but we did snuck off to the Nordschleife :thumbs::thumbs:

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Do plan on taking the Z around the 'Green Hell' very soon!! Especially now that I have decent brakes :D
 

istoo

Well-Known Forum User
These came highly recommended, Edan the owner of the business certainly knows his onions. Fast shipment to the UK also :thumbs:



http://www.silverminemotors.com/datsun/datsun-240z/brake-upgrades









Probably saw you on the track, we had some great laps on the Saturday - proper full on experience for sure, chasing a 458 Italia through Eau Rouge :eek:



Hopefully there will be another opportunity for a Spa meet in the Z before long.











That was us lot in the Sunbeam Tigers, behind you.:p Great event where clubs have the time to get tracktime, though in comparison the September 6hrs has a huge number of races over the whole weekend.



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Would love feedback on those brakes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Bobafett

Well-Known Forum User
Due to illness, Z has been laid up pretty much over the Winter - but doesn't stop me from looking ahead. After a spirited drive in damp conditions towards the end of the season last year, it was clear to me that the balancing of the car, despite being lowly powered, now needs a LSD for a more fuller enjoyment. Also plan on uprating the big old heavy lump up front one day.

Anyway, managed to source Subaru R180 LSD unit with correct 3.9 drive. Gosh, they are getting harder to find.....

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As it came from Bulgaria, of all places? Checked it was correctly showing 39:10 and all is good :)

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Just need some flanges now, and also decided on a propshaft yoke change rather than mess with the pre-set loading on the lash for the existing LSD unit!
 
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